I read this article today about how ipods are changing the way we experience our environment.
It was funny to me because as I walked amidst the UT campus this weekend, it was amazing to me how many students were attached to either an ipod or a cell phone. I think I only saw a handful of these youthful undergraduates opening their ears to the world around them. I also did not see a single group of people "walking and talking".
For the record, I own several ipods and we are a five ipod/two person family. Itunes has changed the way I teach music and so has my ipod dock. I also could not function properly at this point in my life without my cell phone. I don't have a problem with college students owning or using these devices on a regular basis.
But.....
I recall all of the wonderful sounds I encountered walking amongst my college campus seven years ago. Clicking feet, rushing water, wind, the ever present construction site but most of all the conversations with friends. I did not have a single class in which I was the only music person there as we tend to travel in packs. Ah the lamenting, exuberation, and commiserating that we did from those very brisk walks from Fine Arts to the Union or all the way out to Garrett-Strong for science or government.
What do we miss when we plug in on the subway? What do we miss when we listen to the same 5000 songs but nothing new or no NPR? What do we miss when we don't get to hear the sounds of the earth around us, like rustling leaves or flying planes or even honking cars? What part of humanity do we miss when we tune out?
Or perhaps that is the point. Perhaps, we are becoming a more insulated population, more introverted and more able to disconnect from the onslaught of 24 hour news that shouts at us reminded us that the world is not quite uptopian.
I will embrace my technology and tune in for my 5000 songs, my podcasts from Princeton, and my workout mixes. But perhaps I will also tune out of technology from time to time and tune in to the world around me.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Her wings were flappin....
My dear friend and I just completed the Austin Half-Marathon on Sunday. We had lofty goals of 1:47 equaling 8:10 pace over 13.1 miles. This was a PR I had set on a pancake flat course in September and we knew that Austin would be major hilly, but we took a bite and chewed the course up.
We had each dedicated the race to a loved one. My friend to her Mom, who is fighting lymphoma and I to my Aunt, who recently passed from aggresive cancer. Keeping our minds focused on the fact that their battles were much harder than any little running race, we trudged up and down the hills.
We cruised through miles 1-8 and knew what was upon us, the dreaded 8-11 of straight up and down. Or rather UPPPPP and down. We had managed to maintain a sub-8 minute pace for most of the race, so there wasn't the usual social time that we normally share. Miles 8-11 were focused on those fighting disease and those who have left this world as courageous fighters.
It was as we approached what would be the final hill, as we hit the start of the 12th mile that we were in need of some serious angel wings. I am certain that my Aunt was flapping like a falcon from up above in her nest. She had brought us up and down but pulled us up that last hill and set us free on mile 12 as we remarked on the amazing courage that my friend's mom has shown in her battle. We charged through, minds focused on others, not us and had a final mile of 7:05 pace.
Hopefully those angel wings are taking a well deserved rest today. From me, the humble earth trodder, I offer my thanks.
We had each dedicated the race to a loved one. My friend to her Mom, who is fighting lymphoma and I to my Aunt, who recently passed from aggresive cancer. Keeping our minds focused on the fact that their battles were much harder than any little running race, we trudged up and down the hills.
We cruised through miles 1-8 and knew what was upon us, the dreaded 8-11 of straight up and down. Or rather UPPPPP and down. We had managed to maintain a sub-8 minute pace for most of the race, so there wasn't the usual social time that we normally share. Miles 8-11 were focused on those fighting disease and those who have left this world as courageous fighters.
It was as we approached what would be the final hill, as we hit the start of the 12th mile that we were in need of some serious angel wings. I am certain that my Aunt was flapping like a falcon from up above in her nest. She had brought us up and down but pulled us up that last hill and set us free on mile 12 as we remarked on the amazing courage that my friend's mom has shown in her battle. We charged through, minds focused on others, not us and had a final mile of 7:05 pace.
Hopefully those angel wings are taking a well deserved rest today. From me, the humble earth trodder, I offer my thanks.
Friday, February 16, 2007
The care of community
Several things have amazed me in the last week:
The thoroughly embracing and inclusive community that my Aunt and Uncle are a part of in their church. At my Aunt's funeral wake and mass, it was so obvious to me that they are part of a church community devoted to family, to care of each other, and to unsurpassed faith in the Lord Jesus. I have no fear for the care of my Uncle and cousins as I saw that their church family has them deep in their arms.
As we came home on Wednesday night, the plows had gone through our street blocking in virtually every car in the lot. But as we were driving up 10 neighbors were out on the cul-de-sac shovels and scrapers in hand, digging out every car. Even one of our littlest neighbors (probably just under age 4) had her pink shovel to lend a hand. It was this sense of community that gave me extreme joy and I became awash in the light of God as he shown through our neighbors.
My sister referenced the word "communion of saints" many times as we traveled to and from the funeral services. It isn't a phrase that I have thought of much in my spiritual walk. But these two very poignant instances of community have made very clear to me that we are amongst the communion of saints both here and as we travel to be with the Lord. If we look upon those around us as members of this communion, it certainly changes how we see them. How we look at them, treat them, care for them. Perhaps this different point of view is just what we need to find love around us.
The thoroughly embracing and inclusive community that my Aunt and Uncle are a part of in their church. At my Aunt's funeral wake and mass, it was so obvious to me that they are part of a church community devoted to family, to care of each other, and to unsurpassed faith in the Lord Jesus. I have no fear for the care of my Uncle and cousins as I saw that their church family has them deep in their arms.
As we came home on Wednesday night, the plows had gone through our street blocking in virtually every car in the lot. But as we were driving up 10 neighbors were out on the cul-de-sac shovels and scrapers in hand, digging out every car. Even one of our littlest neighbors (probably just under age 4) had her pink shovel to lend a hand. It was this sense of community that gave me extreme joy and I became awash in the light of God as he shown through our neighbors.
My sister referenced the word "communion of saints" many times as we traveled to and from the funeral services. It isn't a phrase that I have thought of much in my spiritual walk. But these two very poignant instances of community have made very clear to me that we are amongst the communion of saints both here and as we travel to be with the Lord. If we look upon those around us as members of this communion, it certainly changes how we see them. How we look at them, treat them, care for them. Perhaps this different point of view is just what we need to find love around us.
Friday, February 9, 2007
Change it, Right Now!
I think it is quite perfect that I am taking a class on change for grad school this semester, as my school is taking on a great amount of change in the next year. I find myself in a place where it seems that one or two small changes or assessments can't be enough. I see that we are embracing a billion different changes, but no one can truly articulate what they are and why we are doing them. They are supposed to be creating excellence in teaching and learning, but it isn't clear what should be important and why it all has to be done RIGHT NOW.
I am not exactly questioning these types of changes. As a newcomer to this school from a public school where change was not introduced but dictated, I am almost enjoying sitting and watching the perspectives awash around me. Some are excited, some are angry, some are indifferent, some are frightened. It is almost as if our change process has to go through stages, like those of Elisabeth Kubler-Ross' stages of grief before we decide that we shall either accept or reject the changes put before us.
The difference, however, between this school is that through it all, I find a large cohort of us truly dedicated to the education of our students. We are not collecting a paycheck, we are not doing this because we have to, we are teachers, because we love our students. We teach them because seeing them learn gives us a greater joy than anything else we could do in our lives. We will ride the waves of change because we know that if we hold on, and put forth our best, that our children will be ok.
Change in education is a great wheel. Only when someone is truly willing to embrace a flat tire and try something new (hover board perhaps?), shall change truly be enacted.
I could learn to hover....
I am not exactly questioning these types of changes. As a newcomer to this school from a public school where change was not introduced but dictated, I am almost enjoying sitting and watching the perspectives awash around me. Some are excited, some are angry, some are indifferent, some are frightened. It is almost as if our change process has to go through stages, like those of Elisabeth Kubler-Ross' stages of grief before we decide that we shall either accept or reject the changes put before us.
The difference, however, between this school is that through it all, I find a large cohort of us truly dedicated to the education of our students. We are not collecting a paycheck, we are not doing this because we have to, we are teachers, because we love our students. We teach them because seeing them learn gives us a greater joy than anything else we could do in our lives. We will ride the waves of change because we know that if we hold on, and put forth our best, that our children will be ok.
Change in education is a great wheel. Only when someone is truly willing to embrace a flat tire and try something new (hover board perhaps?), shall change truly be enacted.
I could learn to hover....
Thursday, February 8, 2007
In Memoriam
Yesterday marked the passing of my Aunt Nancy Thomas. She had a very short and very hard battle with cancer that seemed to have come from no where and take over her slight frame. After being ventilated this week, she made the choice to die peacefully instead of being kept alive through tubes and machines. I believe this was her greatest act of courage.
She enters the Lord's kingdom now, to shine down upon and await the arrival of her husband, John, her daughters Lori and Dale, son-in-law Jim, and granddaughter Elizabeth.
May her family be comforted by the knowledge that she has moved on from this earthly world, from her pain and suffering, to an eternal life of peace with our Lord.
She enters the Lord's kingdom now, to shine down upon and await the arrival of her husband, John, her daughters Lori and Dale, son-in-law Jim, and granddaughter Elizabeth.
May her family be comforted by the knowledge that she has moved on from this earthly world, from her pain and suffering, to an eternal life of peace with our Lord.
a freebie day.
Yesterday was another single day snow day. Always a blessing for teachers and children (not so, of course, for parents....but alas). It was also a bit of a "freebie snow day", given that the sun was out and the small inch of snow melted away by mid-day. That did not stop me, however, from treating it as a completely socked in by weather type of day.
I often find that idle time gives me mixed feelings. As I spend most of my days and nights moving at full tilt, a day with a free schedule provides me with too many choices (clean the house? sit on the couch? read good books? plan ahead for lessons? Sleep? Run?) Usually I find my self whittling away the hours aimlessly and then realizing, as the free time is running out, all that I have needed to do. So I remain in a slightly less than clean house, books only halfway read, and lessons needing to be planned. But is a freebie day God's way of saying slow down? Or is it his way of declaring, I just gave you more time do what you've been putting off.
Hmmmm. I suppose I'll have to see on the next snow day.
I often find that idle time gives me mixed feelings. As I spend most of my days and nights moving at full tilt, a day with a free schedule provides me with too many choices (clean the house? sit on the couch? read good books? plan ahead for lessons? Sleep? Run?) Usually I find my self whittling away the hours aimlessly and then realizing, as the free time is running out, all that I have needed to do. So I remain in a slightly less than clean house, books only halfway read, and lessons needing to be planned. But is a freebie day God's way of saying slow down? Or is it his way of declaring, I just gave you more time do what you've been putting off.
Hmmmm. I suppose I'll have to see on the next snow day.
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